


Come Back Home

by cottoncandychannie



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Chronic Illness, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Royalty, Side Ships, ill add more as i go - Freeform, kinda forbidden love i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 08:51:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13760568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cottoncandychannie/pseuds/cottoncandychannie
Summary: Sometimes love is found in places where it's least expected.





	Come Back Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first real fanfic that I feel like posting and trying to keep up with so please be nice. Actually, don't be nice. If this is horrible, please tell me.

_Dear Mr. Sugawara Koushi,_

_As you are aware, our prestigious art institute, Kyoto University of Arts and Design, is constantly on the lookout for promoting young talent. In our endeavor to do so, we offer 15 scholarships to interested students that pass our entrance examination._

_We have reviewed your scholarship application and our esteemed panel has gone through your request and examined your exam results. We are sorry to inform you, that your name does not feature in the list of those who qualify for our scholarship. However, if you are still interested in our university, then you can apply for a paid course here._

_We request that you do not lose heart and wish you all the best in life for your aspirations._

_We take this opportunity to wish you success in the future._

_Thank you for showing us your interest._

_Sincerely,_

_高橋玲子_

_Ms. Takahashi Leiko_

_Kyoto University of Arts and Design_

 

Sugawara gently shuts the screen of his laptop and leans back in the squeaky rolling chair. This is the fifth rejection letter this month and he is growing tired of the reading the same phrases only worded slightly differently. A deep sigh escapes his lips as he brings his hands up to rub his eyes, finding an unexpected wetness there. A scholarship is the only way Suga could further his education with money running dangerously low at home. Even though Takada tried his hardest to hide Suga and Hinata from the realities of their bank account, he couldn’t hide the bags under his eyes from late nights spent at the table looking at overdue bills and growing medical payments. He couldn’t hide the stressful schedule of his three jobs that took up almost all of his time. It pains Suga to the core watching his caretaker work three tough jobs in the struggle to support his family.

Suga wipes hastily at the tears silently falling down his pale cheeks, he couldn’t let his family know he is crying. He has to be strong for them. For the past four years since he graduated high school, he’s applied for every scholarship opportunity available, no matter what the subject was. He knew that the only way he could get a good enough job to help pay for the ever-growing medical bills is through a college degree. That’s just how it is nowadays. Nobody wants to hire a 23-year-old florist with barely any experience, outside of taking care of orphaned children, from Miyagi, despite how advanced his academic knowledge might be.

“Koushi!! C’mon! You said last night that you wanted to open the shop at 10 and it’s already 9:45! We missed the bus so hurry and we can catch the next one!” Hinata screams, banging his tiny fists on the door of Suga’s room.

“Shit,” Suga mumbles, jumping out of the rolling chair and almost face-planting against the mahogany desk.

“I heard that, Suga-san!” Hinata teases, his voice slowly getting quieter as he walks away from the door.

Suga rolls his eyes at the younger boy and searches his tiny wardrobe for something suitable to wear. In the process of throwing every shirt he could find in his closet on his bed, he uncovers the worn-out volleyball bag shoved in the corner of his closet, neglected and forgotten. He pauses at the sight of black and orange but quickly throws a pair of pajama pants over to cover it once more. The bag looked like your normal, ordinary high school team bag that’s given out at the beginning of the season. But that bag held so many precious and painful memories that Suga wasn’t ready to uncover, he didn’t know if he ever would be.

Soon after, the bag is forgotten once again and Suga continues to rummage through his seemingly shirking wardrobe. Suga is almost certainly positive that every shirt he owns that disappears into thin air can be found in various places in Hinata’s room. Even though Suga’s clothes are a few sizes bigger than the small boy, he was intent on stealing every article of clothing that look even remotely comfortable. Eventually, he settles on a pair of black skinny jeans that his best friend said makes his ass look ‘delicious’ and a light grey button up, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

“Suga, if you don’t hurry up, I won’t do my homework for a month.” Weak threat, but efficient nevertheless.

Opening the door, Suga comes face to face with a head of bright orange hair and a pair of sparkling hazel irises, “You will do your homework if you want to go to the shop with me, Hinata,” Suga demands with a teasing smile and his hands on his hips for an extra effect.

“Fine, mom.” He huffs under his breath as he tries to walk away.

Suga’s smile grows, his dimples popping out to say hello to the world. In a flash of silver, Suga has his arms around Hinata’s waist, bringing him down on the carpeted floor of the narrow hallway. Suga straddles Hinata’s thighs and glances down at the blur of orange struggling to escape his grasp, fully knowing what is coming. His fingertips dance over the younger boy’s sides and every ticklish spot he’s come to know over the years. Their contagious laughter mixing and echoing through the tiny apartment in a euphoric melody. The younger boy squeezes his bright hazel eyes shut as a loud squeal erupts from deep inside his chest. Suga can see the laughter creases and tears from happiness where they nearly are hidden by the fluffy, orange hair that falls onto Hinata’s forehead. It’s a sight Suga never wants to look away from. This 17-year-old boy deserves the whole world and so much more. Suga wishes this moment of complete and utter bliss could last longer, that their laughter could flow through the air forever and distinguish every hardship in their lives. But unfortunately, nothing good can last forever. Which was a statement Sugawara Koushi knows very well.

Suga smiles sadly down at the sight of his little brother panting for breath, tears streaming down his flushed cheeks from laughing so hard. This is how Hinata deserves to look, he deserves to live a life where laughing till it hurt is a normal, everyday occurrence. He deserves to act like a teenager and go to school like everyone else his age, not relying on the homeschooling Suga and Oikawa try to give him with Takeda’s help. Suga falls off the younger boy’s stomach and plops down beside him on the thin carpet, a tight fit but they make it work by Hinata leaning his head on Suga’s chest.

“Thank you, Koushi.” Hinata whispers softly against the fabric of Suga’s shirt.

“For what, mon petit corbeau?”

“For everything.” Hinata doesn’t need to say anything else because Suga already knows exactly what Hinata meant.

_Thank you for taking me in when nobody else would. Thank you for always sticking by my side. Thank you for treating me like a normal person, not like I could break at any given moment. Thank you for giving me a life I would’ve never imagined if it wasn’t for you. Thank you for loving me and never giving up hope._

“Always.” Suga mutters in the fluffy orange locks, leaving a feather light kiss on Hinata’s temple.

“Boys? What are you doing lying on the floor? Koushi, weren’t you going to open the shop at 10? It's 10:15, what are you still doing here? Shouyo, did you finish your homework?” Takeda peers into the hallway from his position behind the kitchen door, his glasses sliding so far down his nose that they threaten to fall off and a large coffee stain on the front of his pale blue polo shirt.

“Shit,” Suga mumbles for the second time in the span of fifteen minutes, shoving Hinata off himself and hastily getting up from his spot on the floor.

Hinata looks up at him with a cheshire grin and opens his mouth, ready to bring attention to the curse word Suga let slip, again. “Don’t even say it.” Suga warns, wiggling his pointer finger in Hinata’s face.

The small boy laughs and bounds into the kitchen where a plate of homemade milk bread (made by Suga the night before) sits in the middle of the table next to a large bowl of various fruits Suga was gifted by the sweet old woman who runs a fruit stand near his shop. Suga listens to Hinata tell Takeda all about the astronomy lessons Oikawa gave him the night before while Takeda was at work. It is pleasant to hear Hinata talk so animatedly about an academic subject, even if it was one only given so Oikawa could talk about the stars and the hope of extraterrestrial lifeforms. Usually the only educational thing he found interest in that they did for his homeschooling was the athletic lessons they did at the local gym. Calling them athletic lessons was a little farfetched, though. Even if they started working out or attempted a new sport, they always ended up on one side of the volleyball court. Suga would set Hinata tosses to spike and Oikawa would spend hours trying to perfect Hinata’s jump serves (which was a battle all on its own). Suga often finds himself wondering what Hinata would be like on an actual team with people just as determined for victory as him.

When he was younger, Hinata claimed that if he had any friends, he’d brag about getting to practice with two of the best volleyball players in the world. Oikawa let that comment go straight to his head and would chant around the apartment, “Did you hear that, Kou-chan? The shrimp called me the Great King! He says I’m the best volleyball player in the world!” Which is a claim not too far off from the truth. Whenever Oikawa isn’t around, it’s because he’s off in who knows where setting balls with the Japanese National Volleyball Team’s jersey on his back. Suga, on the other hand, could barely handle the statement. He’d brush it off and try not to let the sadness in his eyes show.

By the time Suga enters the kitchen with his bag slung over his shoulder, Hinata is inhaling a banana while Takeda watches in pure amusement, counting with his fingers how long it took for the banana to disappear down Hinata’s throat.

“When you’re done getting your daily dose of potassium, we need to go.” Suga snarks, grabbing three slices of milk bread (one he shoved in his mouth, the other two he put in a brown paper bag before placing them in his backpack)and leaning down to press a kiss to Takeda’s forehead

“Sorry if our commotion from earlier caused you to spill your coffee.” Suga whispers hesitantly in Takeda’s ear.

“It’s no problem, Koushi, really. It just surprised me, that’s all. It was nice to hear him laughing again. Ever since the doctor warned us that he may start experiencing hair loss, he’s shut himself out and puts on a façade like everything is okay.” Takeda says with a small voice, glancing up at Suga who has his eyes closed in thought, his long eyelashes brushing against the small beauty mark under his eye. “I wonder who he gets that from.”

Suga swallows the guilt he feels from keeping secrets and doesn’t reply after that. He knows Takeda means well and is right in every way, but it still chills him to the bone knowing that the effort he went through to hide his problems from the ones close to him failed miserably. He sends Takeda one last fleeting look and is met my one that screamed ‘we’ll talk about this later’ before wiggling open the door from hell and walking into the cold hallway of their apartment building. Someone really needs to get that door fixed.

“Wait for me, Suga! Bye, Sensei!” Hinata screams, slinging his backpack over his shoulders and running out the door after the silver haired man already halfway down the hallway.

The scent of fresh rain and the slightly chilly breeze of early spring is comforting against Suga’s porcelain skin. He’s always liked the overcast of rain while others craved the heat of sunlight. Maybe it is because when you feel dull inside, it’s comforting to have the world reflect that feeling right back at you. Maybe it's because this weather reminds him of the days he and Hinata spent sitting by the widow and betting on raindrops while the other kids underwent adoption interviews with potential parents. Whatever the reason, Suga doesn't mind the cold drops of water soaking this clothes.

They walk in a comfortable silence to the bus stop which already has several people waiting. Two of the boys there were carrying bags upon bags of overfilling groceries that they looked ready to drop at any moment. The shorter of the two has dark brown hair spiked up to add some extra centimeters to his already minimal height with a few locks of dyed blond above his forehead shaped to look like lightning bolts. Draped around his shoulders is a black jacket, about four sizes too big for the small man, with a small emblem stitched on the front right corner. The emblem resembles a crow taking flight with its feathers falling off to float around it. Despite his size, he has many grocery bags balancing on his thigh and a look of pure determination on his face.

The other is the complete opposite. He is significantly taller and has his long chestnut hair pulled into a bun on the back of his head, some strands falling out to frame his face in small waves. His broad shoulders and muscular build is hidden beneath a plain white button up with various food stains scattered amongst the fabric. The scruff of facial hair on his chin does nothing to hide the fact that he is silently having a panic attack over the possibility of dropping his share of groceries, which includes two bottles of very expensive looking champagne, on the slick pavement.

“Excuse me, but do you need help with those?” Suga asks the pair with a warm smile and sparkling golden eyes.

“Please,” the gentle looking giant breaths out in relief, his shoulders, which are a clear hint at what he is hiding under those clothes, visually relaxing at the thought of help.

Suga takes several bags from him, including the one with the champagne, which the man looks even more grateful for. Hinata, who was previously zoned out looking across the street at the sports store that had a sale on volleyball sneakers, notices Suga’s actions and proceeds to relieve the shorter boy of some bags.

“Thank you, but I totally had those!” lightning hair exclaims in false confidence, wrapping his arms fully around the remaining bags.

“Hey, you’re shorter than me!”

“Not by much!” the shorter boy seethes as he stands on his toes in an attempt to look down on Hinata. He looks ready to drop the bags and tackle Hinata to the ground.

“Noya… not here.”

The shorter, Noya, huffs in response to his friend’s warning, and steps closer to the tall man until their elbows brush together. The slight physical contact works like magic to not only calm Noya down but also to offer stability and comfort to counter the tall man’s clear anxiety. Noya tilts his head to look up at his companion, who glances down, locking their gazes together. It was one of those moments where once you know someone, really know them, it seems as though you can communicate without using any words. Suga looks away from the pair, feeling like he is intruding on their precious moment, and turns to find Hinata still transfixed on the sports store across the street.

“What do you say about going over there tomorrow?” Suga whispers as he bumps his shoulder with the 17-year-old gently.

That immediately gets Hinata’s attention making him practically bounce on the balls of his feet as he beams up at Suga. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! I've had my eye on those sneakers since forever! I've been imagining what it would be like to zoom past blockers with those on my feet! Like whoosh!”

Suga watches with a small smile on his lips as Hinata continues to gush about how awesome it would be to play with those sneakers on, catching the attention of the people around him and earning glares because of his volume. Eventually he calms down enough to take a well needed breath and stops bouncing on the pavement to brush the damp locks of orange hair off his forehead. The rain is getting heavier as time goes on and Suga starts to wonder where the bus is. While Sugawara may not mind the rain, he doesn't want Hinata catching a cold and he doesn't think his newest companions would like having their groceries drown before they even have a chance to prepare any kind of meal. And based on the contents of the bags Suga has, he can tell it's going to be a good meal.

“Asahi!” Noya practically screams at the taller man, Asahi, frightening and causing him to fumble with the bags in his arms as he tries to recover from the mild heart attack Noya gave him.

“Please don’t do that again,” Asahi mumbles, meeting Noya’s wild gaze after he secures the bag back in his arms.

“We forgot to get the flowers! She’s going to be so disappointed with me because she gave me the responsibility of getting them and I just blew it! I’m going to go die now. Asahi, please say something nice about me at my funeral.”

Suga is clueless to whoever ‘she’ is but he sees the clear despair in Noya’s features and chuckles at his over exaggerated misery. He is acting just like Oikawa and that thought makes Suga laugh even harder. Noya makes a show as he drops the bags on the floor and pretends to stalk away from the bus stop. Where did these people come from and where can Suga find some? Or even better, could he keep them? Asahi processes Noya’s words and looks like he’s about to cry, his shoulders shake and his knees wobble. It's only when Suga meets his chocolate eyes that Suga sobers up begins to defuse the situation.

“What kind of flowers did you need and what is the occasion?” Suga asks in all seriousness once Noya circles back around and ends up in the same place he was earlier, placing his hand on the small of Asahi’s back.

After a bit of thought, Noya bends down to pick up the abandoned grocery bags from the floor and brushes his now flat, wet hair out of his eyes before answering. “Lilies, carnations, and baby’s breath. And Miss Shimizu said they are for the dinner she is holding tonight.”

“So, they are most likely going to be used as table centerpieces. I can work with that.” Suga says more to himself that anything. “How many do you need?”

Noya and Asahi share very confused glance and then bring their attention back to Suga who is looking expectantly at them. “Um, three. I think? Yeah, pretty sure it’s three. Why? Do you know where we can get some because that would be so helpful-“ Noya abruptly stops, searching for the name he has yet to acquire.

“Sugawara. Sugawara Koushi, but please just call me Suga.” Suga swears he sees recognition flash through the pair’s eyes but they quickly brush it off.

“Azumane Asahi. Asahi is fine.”

“Nishinoya Yuu at your service!” he grins and gives Suga an over-exaggerated salute during the seconds he has before the bags fall from being wedged between Noya’s single thin arm and small chest. “Call me Noya!”

Hinata, who was previously snooping through the bags in his arms, perks up at the introductions and decides to join in.

“IM HINATA SHOUYOU!” He screams, making everyone in a 50-meter range wince at the volume of his voice.

Suga tenses and immediately locks his eyes on the two men in front of him. People are usually disgusted at Hinata’s loud and wild tendencies. It is a very common occurrence for people to ask him rude and blunt questions, sometimes with the boy present, like if he is autistic or suffers from a serious mental disorder that makes him not be able to control his actions. Normally, Suga would bite his tongue, give a brisk shake of his head, and go on his merry way dragging a confused and slightly offended Hinata Shouyou with him. But he doesn’t know what he would do if these two men reacted like that. They don’t look like they would be the kind of people to but Suga knows from experience that looks can be deceiving.

His frantic, wide eyes lock on the intended targets and he visually relaxes at the sight. Asahi is watching Hinata bounce in excitement on the pavement with nothing but a look of pure fondness on his face. His warm eyes and small smile look completely natural, like it is an expression he gives a lot. And with someone like Noya around, Suga figures that it probably is.

It takes Noya no longer than five seconds to break out in a blinding smile and approach the teenager. “Hinata-kun! Do you like volleyball? Have you ever been in that shop across the street? I made Asahi take me there -I mean, I had to practically drag him inside but still- a few weeks ago and it's literally the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!”

“Noya-senpai, you’re so cool!” Hinata exclaims.

As Noya does a motion that can only be inferred as a having a mild heart attack at the prospect of being called ‘senpai’, the bus finally comes into view down the street. It is about time. Suga’s shirt is soaked all the way through and he is sure that his usually silvery blonde hair is a flat, dark mass on his head. The other three weren’t faring well either. Noya, who had his hair spiked up to add some inches before, now is brushing the long locks out of his eyes. The jacket covering his shoulders spared his clothes from the rains harsh pelts. Asahi looks miserable despite the ghost of a smile that lingered on his naturally worried expression. But Suga thinks that the tall man worries more about the condition of the groceries rather than the fate of his physical appearance after spending 15 minutes standing in the rain. Hinata on the other hand, looks content and elated like usual, even with raindrops dripping down his face and his bright orange hair soaked and flat against his head.

The bus ride to Suga’s shop is short. The bus is empty enough for them to dispose of the soaked grocery bags on a few open seats in the back. Suga’s heart warms at the sight of Hinata bouncing on the balls of his feet, barely holding onto the handle because of his bubbling excitement. It’s been awhile since Hinata visited the shop. Which is partly because of what occurred the last time. It had been a quite normal day, the sun was out and shining brighter than ever, many customers came and went with boutiques of various maximums, and Hinata hadn’t knocked over a pot yet. A normal day in Suga’s book. Usually when Hinata is there, he helps move around the less valuable flower pots and waters the plants Suga points out. When it happened, he was watering blossoming anemones in the back of the shop. As the water fell over the buds he ran his fingers through his thick orange hair, taking several strands out with the trail of his fingers.

Shortly after, Suga found him on his knees, violently sobbing with his fingers pulling at his hair. The older man saw the strands of orange falling around the broken boy and stuck to the damp anemones above him and his heart broke instantly. Suga had immediately flown to Hinata’s side and pulled the small boy into his lap. There was nothing for him to do but provide comfort and support, they’d known that this would happen eventually. It was just the question of when and this was far too soon -they hadn’t had time to fully prepare. Hinata made Suga promise not to tell Takeda about what happened and Suga understood. The young boy just wanted more time to feel normal because he knew there would be more trips to the doctor and more caution at home when the truth finally came out.

Suga’s heart clenches as he watches Hinata once more from his spot on the rumbling bus. The hair loss almost ceased to exist after the first time. Now, he’d lose a few strands every now and then but never as much as the time in the flower shop.

“Who are you texting?” Noya’s voice breaks Suga out of the trance he’d been stuck in.

Instead of verbally replying to the question, Asahi shows the shorter man his phone screen, drawing Noya closer. Noya lets go of the support pole he was holding onto and loops two of his fingers through one of Asahi’s belt loops to keep his balance on the moving bus as he reads the messages on the screen. Shock and recognition registers through Noya’s features and Asahi leans down, allowing the smaller of the two to whisper something in his ear.

A small frown finds its way onto Suga’s lips as he watches the two exchange heated whispers. But Suga can’t blame them for being secretive and wanting privacy for their obvious important conversation. They’d only met less than an hour ago after all. But even in the span of less than an hour, Sugawara feels as though he’s known the two men his whole life. Soon, the bus has stopped at their stop and he’s still rooted in his spot, staring blankly at Noya and Asahi.

“Suga, c’mon! Stop staring at people like a lunatic, we’re here and I want to see how my California Poppies are doing!” Hinata yells in his face, tugging at the hem of Suga’s jacket.

“Right, let’s go.”

The four of them gather the groceries in their arms once again and exit the bus after muttering a small thanks to the driver. Over the course of the drive, the rain got even heavier than before and pelts against their skin like tiny bullets. The wind whips around them and the bone chilling rain soaks their clothes until it feels like a saggy second layer of skin. As quickly as they can without falling, they run down the sidewalk towards the empty flower shop, the slapping sound of their shoes hitting the wet pavement echoes through the seemingly deserted street. Suga figures that everyone is taking shelter from the storm like they should be doing. At the rate this is going, the rain is just going to get heavier and the storm will harshen. They pass several shops with closed signs on their doors during the run in the rain. The heavy curtains on the bakery windows are pulled down, the ramen shop has the blinds secured and bolted to block all entrances, the lights are out in both the small boutique and the manga store on the corner, and Suga lets out a breath of relief to see the small fruit stand tucked snuggly in the alleyway between his flower shop and the coffee shop next door.

It doesn’t take long for Suga to unlock the door, turn on the lights, and for the remaining boys to pile their way into the small store. “Let me move a few flower pots off the counter and we can put the groceries on that while I get your flowers ready.”

If they thought they were soaked before, now is worse. Each of them look as though they just took a shower and a dip in the ocean fully clothed. Suga hands his share of the groceries off to Asahi, if the taller man is bothered by the action, he doesn’t show it, and moves to hastily clear the counter behind the register of the stray pots.

“Suga! These flowers are so pretty! I’ve never seen anything like them! Asahi, come look at these!” Noya exclaims after putting the bags in his arms on the counter like everyone else.

“Suga grows the best flowers,” Hinata boasts before disappearing into the back to check on his poppies.

For the next fifteen minutes, Noya drills Suga with every kind of question relating to flowers he could come up with and the whole time Suga patiently answers every question with glee while he gathers the supplies he needs to make the centerpieces. About halfway through Asahi, who is carefully brushing his thumb against the soft petals of a pink rose, looks ready to interfere with Noya’s energetic quiz but Suga waves him off. It’s been way too long since he’s been able to talk so freely about a passion of his. Even if Hinata asks questions regularly and Takeda listens when he went on about the new flower he got to blossom, this is different. Noya is new and so preciously clueless to the baggage Suga came with. His eyes carried no judgement when staring straight at the silver haired man.

Suga turns his back to the door once the flowers are arranged and joins Noya and Asahi beside the display of yellow and orange gazanias. Noya constantly brushes the hair falling on his forehead with annoyance and huffs in frustration when the locks fall right back over his eyes. Asahi notices this and digs in his pocket a bit before stepping behind the short man. He runs his fingers through the wet, dark locks a few times to get the tangles out and then brings Noya’s bangs into a small ponytail, giving Noya a half up-half down hairstyle. Suga smiles painfully at them as he watches Asahi drape his arms over Noya’s shoulders and lock his fingers together. Noya leans into Asahi’s embrace and Suga has to look away. He doesn’t look away because of the clear public display of affection between the obvious couple, that would be hypocrisy, he does because his chest tightens at the sight. He hasn’t had a relationship since high school and even though he constantly tells himself that he doesn’t need a significant other, that it's better this way, that nobody deserves to be dragged into his life the way it is. But in despite of that Suga misses the way it feels to fall asleep in someone’s strong arms or the way his heart swells when he wakes up to sweet text messages from someone special. He misses the spontaneous dates and sneaky kisses when nobody's looking. His misses the feeling of weaving his fingers with someone else’s. Suga sighs and tries his best not to dwell in the topic any further than he already allowed himself to. Which is not hard when the bell signaling someone at the door echoes through the shops.

They hear him before they see him and Suga only knows one person who would go out in the storm to ‘brighten his day with his presence’.

“It’s raining so hard out there! My hair is going to… to floof up! And It’s already reached suitable floofy-ness. Watch in a few minutes I’m going to have an afro! _Kou-chan, I don’t want an afro!_ And look at my poor alien sweater, it’s all soaked! Iwa-chan better give me the best back rub he’s ever given when we get back for making me come all this way to pick you guys up, in the rain I should add!!” Oikawa Tooru, in all his wet glory, whines as he enters the shop looking as perfect as ever. “Well, what are you guys waiting for? I know I’m pretty but we have a plane waiting for us and I’d like to get back as soon as possible for that back rub I mentioned, so stop staring and let’s go!”

He doesn’t even bat an eye at the new faces beside Suga. Oikawa runs his long, slim fingers through the damp chocolate waves and shakes out drops of rain that gathered on the tuffs. His bright eyes scan the room and carefully analyze the three men standing near the gazanias in a way that makes you feel like you’re being picked apart piece by piece by this beautiful angel. Oikawa pulls the hood of his, or rather, Iwaizumi’s light grey hoodie over the back of his head and pulls his foggy glasses off to clean them.

“Do I need to repeat myself? Azumane! Nishinoya! Sugawara! Go, go, go!”

“Plane? How do you know them?”

“But, what about Miss Shimizu’s din-“

“It’s been taken care of.” Oikawa brushes Noya off with a dramatic wave of his hand and disappears in the back without answering Suga’s questions.

“Plane?” Suga repeats in a small voice with confusion clear on his features.

Asahi gives him a look he can’t read and offers no explanation as to what’s going on, “we’ll explain everything later.”

Oikawa’s actions hadn’t been the thing to confuse Suga, he’s been used to the theatrics after years of friendship with the brunet, it is his words. The mention of catching a plane derails Suga. And the fact that he seems to know Noya and Asahi stumps him. But before Suga can over think anything, he’s being forcefully shoved out the door by his persistent best friend.

“Tooru, what’s going on?” Suga mumbles to the man pushing him but Oikawa’s eyes remain focused straight ahead, on anything and everything that isn't Sugawara.

“Say, shrimpy-chan, have you ever been on an airplane?” Oikawa’s honeyed voice is light and full of the usual taunt-like tone.

“I haven’t! This is going to be so exciting! I know you said you’ll tell me later where were going but I wouldn’t care if we were going to the worst place on earth, riding in an airplane would make it worth it! Suga, did Oikawa-san tell you were going to be flying in an airplane? Actually flying!” Hinata jumps in glee as Noya and Asahi slide in the car waiting outside.

“Tooru.” Oikawa finally locks eyes with Suga, a small smirk on his lips and his eyes shining with playfulness.

Oikawa puts his hand up to shield the rain from his face as Hinata climbs inside the black car. “Look, Suga, you’re my best friend. You have been since our first year in high school and I’ve hated to have to keep this secret all this time but I had no choice. I wish I could tell you everything but it isn’t my place. So you’re just going to have to trust me, and you’ll get an explanation soon enough.”

“I trust you. I’m just confused.” Suga mumbles before getting in the car too.

Hinata and Noya are talking excitedly in the very back row of seats, leaving the middle section for Suga and Asahi. Sugawara’s confusion exceeds the normal amount as he starts trying to figure out where Oikawa could be taking them, all of them. Not that Suga knew all the people Oikawa is friends with, it just weirds him out that he offered to help two random strangers who just so happened to be not only Oikawa’s friends (is that what they are? Suga doesn't know) but also two of the people he was looking for. He knows that their destination must be far if they had to travel by plane and he wonders if they will be leaving Japan. At that thought, Suga starts to worry about Takeda who as at work, completely oblivious to the fact that they were just basically kidnapped by Oikawa Tooru. Shit.

“Before you both start worrying past the normal amount and start pulling your hair out, I called Takeda and told him as much as I could, Suga. It took a bit for him to understand but we eventually came to an agreement. I’m very convincing, after all.” Oikawa says, looking back at Suga from his spot in the front seat with a blinding smile. “And Asahi-san, we got everything handled over at Miss Shimizu’s place after you sent Daichi the text. We called a catering service and a florist a town over to take our duty. Miss Kiyoko was very understanding of the situation. Iwa-chan got really grumpy when we told him but there’s not much we can do about soaked groceries and missing flower centerpieces, is there?”

“I guess, but I still feel bad that we weren’t able to finish the job. Noya and I were kinda looking forward to seeing Ryuu again. After he moved away and got married, we tried to keep in contact but were both so busy with our jobs, it’s been hard.”

“We’ll just have to invite them over for dinner sometime soon then. I’m sure we'll be having one in the very near future.” Oikawa says, clapping his hands together and giving Suga another playful look that the silver haired man can’t read. “Plus I want to see the little girl they adopted. I'm not sure how Chikara is fairing with two children in the house now.”

Asahi nods in agreement and then turns away from the conversation to look out the window at the blur of buildings outside the car. Suga opts to do the same and watches as the raindrops race each other on their slide down the window. He remembers doing this as a kid. During rainy season, Takeda would rent a large van, pack all the kids from the home inside, and take them to the park to play in the rain. Being the oldest, Suga would always get to sit in the passenger’s seat and watch the raindrops race down the window. Those trips were one of the only happy memories Suga had from his childhood and he kept it secured deep in his heart.

A puff of smoke sends Suga into a coughing fit, bringing him out of his nostalgic state to try and catch his breath.

“Ukai, haven’t I told you that those sticks of murdering paper and chemicals will kill you?” Oikawa whines as the man driving the car, Ukai, brings a cigarette back up to his lips.

“Do I look like I care, Oikawa-kun?” He retorts, blowing another puff of smoke from his lips, but this time he directs it straight into Oikawa’s face.

Oikawa waves his hands vigorously in front of his face to waft the smoke away from his personal bubble while coughing from breathing in the chemicals. Ukai lets out a hearty laugh and brings the cigarette back up to rest between his teeth. Ukai is a handsome man, Suga notes. His medium length blonde hair is slicked back and secured in place by a black headband. His sideburns are dark brown so the blonde is probably dyed. Suga can see in the mirror of the car that he has a strong jawline and warm hazel eyes. Two rings are pierced into the lobe of his left ear and he’s wearing a simple orange hoodie. Overall, he looks like the kid who sat in the corner and smoked while watching everybody with a disinterested look in high school.

“How long until we're at the airport?” Noya speaks up from the back.

“Not long now, 5 minutes’ top. And we brought the private jet so we’ll set down in Karasuno in an hour.”

Hinata grabs the back of Suga’s seat and screams in excitement, “A private jet!!”

Ukai hums in response as Suga clutches his ear and rolls the window down to give the people at the air strip entrance his ID. Not that long later, the six of them are standing in front of a beautiful jet. It is painted a subtle orange with large black feathers paints out along the side. The view completely takes Suga’s breath away. There aren’t any words on the side, the only thing resembling an airline is the large crow logo on the side, just like the one on Noya’s jacket.

“Isn’t it pretty? The design was all Kuroo’s idea, he likes to paint and draw so we let him choose how it was designed. One time, back when we were younger, we were messing around and Daichi accidentally knocked the staff manager’s toupee off -don’t tell him I told you, I was sworn into secrecy. But his expression afterwards was so priceless that Kuroo decided to paint it. It’s still hung up in his closet.”

Nishinoya finishes his story about some guys named Kuroo and Daichi (that's the name Oikawa kept using earlier) that Suga definitely doesn’t know with a proud smile and an affectionate warmth in his honey eyes. And Suga wishes desperately that someone would look like that while thinking about him. Platonically or romantically. Sure, he has Hinata and Takada, who both absolutely adore Suga with everything they have to offer and Suga loves them for it. But for some reason it isn’t the same as having friends to go out with on Friday nights or coming home to a partner waiting for him.

“It really is beautiful, Nishinoya-san.”

“Oh, uh, you don’t have to be so formal. Please, just call me Noya.” Suga smirks, his eyes glowing with mischief, as he watches the smaller man stumble over his words with a faint blush finding its way upon his cheeks.

“Alright, shorty, Noya it is!” Suga teases, ruffling Noya’s damp hair before taking off towards the plane.

“Sugawara! You take that back right now!” Noya screams, chasing after the silvery-blond who is going up the stairs, two at a time, leading into the plane.

“What? You don’t like people talking about your height.” Suga lets out a throaty laugh and braces himself for impact.

Once Nishinoya crosses the plane threshold, he launches himself towards Suga like a little black cannonball and latches on, bringing them both tumbling onto the ground. Noya sits himself directly on Suga’s back, like a king on his throne, and tries to channel all his weight onto the man below him. Suga, on the other hand, looks unaffected by the extra weight and cards his fingers through the very plush carpet he’s pushed into.

“Wow, this carpet is so soft! It must be foreign. Oh and Noya, sweetheart, I live with Hinata. Your weight is nothing. How much do you weigh? You can’t be over 50 kilograms.” Noya’s huff as a response is enough for Suga to know he is right.

“Noya!” Asahi’s shriek is enough to send Noya tumbling off Suga’s back. “What do you think you’re doing? You’re going to break him before we even get there. I’m sorry Suga, are you okay? Did he do any serious damage. I know how rough Yuu can get when he’s excited. You didn’t break anything, did you? Because I might puke if you did. Oh god? You’re okay though, right?”

“Oi, Asahi! You’re supposed to be defending me! And he started it! He called me shorty!”

“But you are short, Yuu.”

The look Noya gave the taller man was one of pure betrayal, “Azumane Asahi, you are supposed to be my ally. My partner in crime. You’re supposed to defend me and protect me from meanies like Suga-san.”

“I think you’re getting me mixed up with Tanaka, Yuu.”

“No, Asahi, you’re the only one for me and you’re sitting here agreeing with the enemy. Why, Asahi, why?” Noya dramatically drops himself against Asahi, making the taller man hold his weight with an unamused look on his face.

While the two continue to playfully bicker, Suga takes the time to fully look over the inside of the jet. The floor is carpeted in a soft, subtle grey that Suga knows first-hand is fluffy and comfortable. There’s enough large leather chairs lining the walls to sit eight people and Suga figures the chairs are big enough to hold two bodies at once. The chairs are sectioned off in pairs, facing each other with a smooth, oak wood table between them. Hinata is already sat indian style in a middle chair with a plate of several different flavored meat buns out on the table in front of him. He watches as Oikawa sneaks up behind the red-head, quickly grabs a pork meat bun off the plate, and then plops down in the chair across from Hinata, laughing at the shocked expression on the boy’s face. The walls of the cabin are a pearl white except for a slender orange stripe lining the space above the windows.

His breath is completely taken away when he glances out the window. The wings of the small plane are painted to look like a crow's wing. The feathers so intricately designed to utter perfection. To Suga, it looks like the bird, the plane, is ready to take off into the sky at any given moment.

It really is truly beautiful.

“Here are the bags. I should give the whole safety speech but I’m already tired so just sit your asses down, buckle up, and if the plane sinks… I hope you know how to swim.” Ukai breaths out before disappearing in the cockpit. “Oh and, we should be there in an hour. Don’t make a mess.”

Suga rushes forward at the mention of their bags and digs for the brown paper bag crumpled at the bottom of his. When he finally digs it out, he walks up to Oikawa and tosses the bag in his lap without a word. Oikawa’s eyes light up and his practically rips the bag open in the struggle to get to his precious milk bread.

“Oh, Kou-chan! What would I do without you?”

“Bother Iwaizumi even more than usual and cause his untimely death.” Suga deadpans.

“You’ve been talking to Iwa-chan too much. Don’t start being mean to me too!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Suga says as Nishinoya and Asahi sit in the pair of seats behind Oikawa and Hinata so Suga opts to take the chair to the right of Hinata. The chairs feel about as comfortable as they look and Suga thinks it feels like sinking into a cloud of soft leather.

“Suga, you know Iwaizumi?” Nishinoya asks, leaning off the arm of the chair to get closer to Suga.

What? You know, Iwaizumi too?

“Yes. I’ve met him once, granted, it was by accident, but still. And I talk to him over the phone occasionally, usually our conversations are revolved around Oikawa though.”

“I see.” And just like that, the conversation is over.

Suga remembers the time he finally got a face to match to the imfamous ‘Iwa-chan’ he heard so much about. Oikawa had come barreling into the flower shop faster than Suga had ever seen him run in the entirety of their friendship. The brunet had immediately dashed into the back without a word other than the small shrieks of fear escaping his lips. Suga was left in utter confusion and almost made a beeline to wherever Oikawa had hidden but the bell chiming as the door opened stopped him. The man that entered looked serious. He was panting, with droplets of sweat rolling down the sides of his face and his shoulders were tense beyond anything a masseuse could work out. His spiky dark brown, almost black, hair was sticking at all kinds of angles from the numerous times he ran his fingers through it. At first, Suga assumed he was there to buy flowers (not really) but the clear fury and annoyance in his deadly emerald eyes gave away his intentions. Iwaizumi demanded to see Oikawa for fifteen minutes before the man in question decided to make his appearance. It turned out that Oikawa had made a big scene in the bakery down the street from Suga’s shop about them not having milk bread and his outburst had ultimately gotten him banned from the store. Iwaizumi was pissed and ready to skin Oikawa alive because they had the best muffins but before he had a chance to get one word out, Oikawa was sprinting down the street. And as far as first impression went, Suga was pretty impressed with the spiky haired man.

Sugawara smiles at the memory and looks out the window as the plane starts taking off down the runway. The hour goes by very quickly. Suga doesn’t even keep track of the time while he watches with a fond expression as the three men entertain Hinata with volleyball stories. By the time they land, he was so deep in thought about all the possible ways Asahi, Nishinoya, and Oikawa know each other, that he doesn’t even realize. Hinata shakes him out of his daze and they all leave the plane in silence but with an excited buzz in the air. Quick words are exchanged between Asahi and Ukai before they are ushered into a pure black limonene and on the road again. Suga tries his hardest to figure out exactly where they are but his attempts go unnoticed. The windows are tinted so dark that it's almost impossible to see anything out of them.

Suga isn’t sure how long they spend inside the car. They sit in a tense silence and Suga catches all of the nervous glances being thrown between the three other men sat near him. He doesn’t understand what’s going on at all. Why he was suddenly thrown inside a plane only to land in a foreign place and not get any insight on where they were or why. He doesn’t understand how his best friend has gone so long without mentioning the couple that seem so unforgettable in Suga’s eyes. And he doesn’t understand why everyone is so nervous. The tension radiating off the three even got absorbed into Hinata who looks like he’s about to puke despite having the same knowledge as Suga.

“We’re here.” Ukai mumbles from the driver’s seat.

Oikawa is the first to leave the car, followed by Nishinoya, Asahi, Hinata, and finally Suga. The sun’s rays are blinding when Suga gets out of the tinted car, making him bring his hands up to cover his eyes as they adjust. The first sight he’s gifted with when he looks up is a large white brick wall covered in healthy ivy and black iron gate blocking off what Suga determines is the most beautiful mansion he’s ever laid eyes on. The words “Karasuno Estate” is twisted with iron on the gate in perfect kanji. The sight of the estate leaves Suga and Hinata in complete awe, speechless and numb. Suga looks over at his travel buddies who are staring at him with nervous expressions. Asahi looks like he’s about to break down in tears. Oikawa is gnawing on his bottom lip. And Noya has the tips of his fingers squished between his teeth. They share quick glances with each other and then turn back to Suga in sync, their voices twining together as they bow.

“Welcome home, your majesty.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for clicking on this and reading it all the way through (unless you just scrolled to the bottom). Im working on chapter two right now and hope to get it up as soon as I can. But I don't have a set writing schedule so don't expect consistent updates. IM TRYING THO THANK YOU I LOVE YOU


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